Punta Venado
- Private eco-park, paid entry only
- Several kilometres of undeveloped sand
- Reef close to shore for snorkelling
- No public access, arrive by tour or car
- Thatched shelters and a hammock grove
- Far smaller crowds than the big parks
- Restaurant, bar, toilets and showers
Overview
Punta Venado is a private coastal eco-park about sixteen kilometres south of Playa del Carmen, between the town and the Xcaret area, reached by a dirt road east off Highway 307 near Km 279, about two kilometres south of the Calica overpass. It covers roughly 800 hectares, about two thousand acres, of jungle and several kilometres of beach, which makes it one of the longest stretches of essentially undeveloped shoreline that a visitor can reach on this part of the coast.
The land behind the beach is private. Today the documented way in is the Punta Venado Beach Club, operated with the tour company Cancun Adventures and reached by booking a tour or a day pass. The former eco-adventure park, known for its horse ranch, is listed as permanently closed.
As everywhere in Mexico, the sand itself is public, but we could not confirm any public access from the road in 2026: every current source describes entry through the beach club. In April 2026 Semarnat also authorised a new development at Punta Venado, two hotels with 429 rooms, so the area is likely to change.
Our current condition score for this beach is .
Our photographic record
Each photograph is published unedited and in date order, and is retained so the record builds rather than resets.
No photographs of this beach have been submitted yet. The grid below fills in as contributors send them.
Position relative to the Atlantic sargassum belt
This coast faces east into the open Caribbean, and sargassum carried north by the Yucatán Current reaches Punta Venado as it does the rest of the mainland shore.
The sargassum season
The Caribbean sargassum season runs broadly from spring into late summer, at its heaviest between April and August and easing through the autumn. What arrives on a given day depends on the wind and current beforehand rather than on the month.
The beach club clears its own frontage where visitors are; the rest of the shoreline is left as it is.
Choosing a hotel on this stretch
There is no accommodation at Punta Venado itself, so it is a day trip rather than a base. The nearest places to stay are the resorts around Xcaret and Playacar to the north and Puerto Aventuras to the south.
For undeveloped shoreline with public access, Xpu-Há to the south and Xcalacoco north of Playa del Carmen are easier options.
Access and getting there
The entrance is east off Highway 307 near Km 278, south of Playa del Carmen. Most visitors arrive on a tour with transport included.
Because entry is through the beach club, confirm opening hours and availability before setting out rather than arriving on spec.
Check live conditions before you go
This is a paid day out, so it is worth checking the water before committing. Our live card for Punta Venado carries the current condition score and the most recent contributor photographs with their dates.
See live conditions, photos & cams →